Patrick Wolf, A New Man // Concert @ Hollywood Forever

It is incredible to think that I have been following and listening to Patrick Wolf for eight years now. But perhaps even more surprising, is to think how much I have changed since first listening to his music, alongside how he too has evolved over the years to who he is today.

My first concert seeing Patrick was at The Troubadour in 2007, my friend and I skipped our senior finals and road-tripped to Hollywood.

And thankfully, it didn’t stop there.

Since that point, I have been lucky enough to see him perform in LA again, San Francisco, London, and on the beaches of Santa Monica. We have even had a few wonderful opportunities to meet, the first time at a photoshoot in a London studio. As I look back each show represented for Patrick a new stage in life, which brought with it a new manner of performance. No show (and certainly no wardrobe or hair color choice) has he been entirely the same.

Seeing him perform this week, it finally hit me, Patrick wasn’t just experimenting and showing off versatile musical talent with each new album. Rather, he was living life- growing, maturing, experiencing, and expressing it all along the way.

This new album, Lupercalia, is I believe his most transparent, he is in love. For so long, his music was consumed by depression, loneliness, and facing hardship. However, on Tuesday, he stood before the crowd completely at ease, fully himself, and satisfied with his life. His music was stripped down and played in acoustic form (a simplicity I haven’t seen since Lycanthropy days) and Patrick revealed foremost himself. His voice and his gleeful personality captivated the audience, and once again he captivated me.

If these are your photos, Kelsey, you have blown my mind. What talent. What TALENT!! And your writing….fabulous! You are crafting your career as a photographer to celebrities and the common man. Congratulations!